I received great health care

Capt. Fred Davis

Published 3:39 pm, Friday, April 22, 2016

In past columns, I praised as well as questioned medical services in our area. During these times of health care commentary in the news daily, I would like to offer praise for the health care I received.

Last fall I was looking for a primary care physician and noted Dr. King was seeking new patients at the Elkton Family Clinic, part of the Scheurer Hospital group of area clinics. I was able to get an appointment quickly and was very impressed, with both the doctor and his excellent staff. I saw Dr. King twice prior to leaving for Florida for the winter.

I was disappointed to receive a letter from the clinic during my stay in Florida announcing Dr. King was leaving his practice to return to Canada. The letter assured there would be a replacement chosen. When I called for an appointment after my return home I was told the clinic was having a new roof put on, so I would have to be seen at the hospital’s clinic.

The day of my appointment I was quickly called in but after my exam was shocked to receive a dire diagnosis. The next day further evaluation determined an error on the test was made and I did not have a heart attack. I was very reassured after talking with Teresea Rabideau, a member of the administrative staff at Scheurer. She was very helpful and explained my encounter was uncommon at their facility and she was sorry I had been so alarmed.

I still needed a primary care doctor so I was happy to learn Dr. S.H. Raythatha, referred to as Dr. Ray, would be taking care of me at the Elkton Clinic. I had been having some problems with walking and several medical facilities I visited had run multiple tests the past two years. My daughter had learned of a condition called NPH (Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus). She suggested I ask the doctor about it.

When I visited Dr. Ray I took two brain MRIs for him to review. After listening to me regarding my daughter’s concerns and looking at the MRIs on his computer, he announced it could indeed be NPH, a neurological disorder. He said it would be best to seek a neurosurgeon consult at the University of Michigan hospital.

I had been told it could take several weeks to get an appointment at U of M but not when Dr. Ray’s staff was working on it. They faxed over a referral and all of my history, and I had an appointment set up within a week with a doctor who specialized in my condition.

Once again I was in the hands of great professionals: Neurosurgeon Dr. Stephen Sullivan who confirmed Dr. Ray’s diagnosis after a battery of diagnostic testing. It was one month from my first consult to the date of surgery. My daughter who had researched my condition also provided chauffeur service to and from the hospital plus a great place to stay.

I was put at ease at the large hospital when I discovered two of the people who were helping me had roots in the Thumb. One lived in North Branch and commuted, and the other gal’s husband was a Gunden from Bay Port. Things got even better when I returned home and the “care angels” began calling on me. They were contracted by U of M through Covenant’s Visiting Nurse Association. Pauline was from Bad Axe and had 32 years experience, Ruby was from Cass City and she had 12 years of experience. Both of them were very skilled and very kind. My taskmaster, April from Saginaw, was the physical therapist, and she pushed me to get up and get going with a whole list of exercises — done with weights.

It was great to have such a strong support system as I recovered and those care givers will always be remembered.

As I see it, Scheurer Hospital’s Elkton clinic staff, Dr. Ray and the skilled, dedicated people at U of M makes a great team. I am happy to be able to report my surgery was successful, and I anticipate a quick recovery.

Capt. Fred Davis is a retired charter captain and nationally published author of boating articles. His “As I See It” appears Fridays in the Tribune and Boat Smart articles are published in each edition of the Thumb Resorter plus on line at www.captainfredsboattips.com.